Hi DubDub. Well, the program looks OK, oif thats your focus. Just one thought for you though. Oe day/week on the squats, you may want to work up to some heavy triples or doubles. When I was competing in OL, we would do a high bar bak squat done heavy once a week (plenty of squatting on other days, but moderate) and do them in this manner, 6-8 sets of 2-3 with about 85-90%, each set followed immediatelywith about 8 bodyweight squat-leaps. After using heavy weights, you'd be surprized how high you can fly
On to plyo's, with weight, and vests, belts, etc. Belts and vests can be useful, when running/sprinting, etc, and maybe even with free jumps, but everything I have read (and have done), discourages doing depth and box jumps with it. Reason being, it can build forces far greater than any controlled weight bearing exercise can produce, and puts your joints in jeopardy. I got interested in our thread today, and did a search on Plyometrics, and most articles I came up with pretty much agree.
Good training.
Tim

I was just looking over your journal about dunking improvement and I was wondering why you put so much emphasis on bench if your goal is to dunk?

Also, you should look into some more hamstring work and be sure that you are squatting with your glutes and not your quads.

Vertical jump power is roughly broken up like this:

Calves 15%
Quads 15%
Glutes and Hamstrings 60%
Shoulders 10%

I have some similar goals as you although I have some different barriers I am currenlty looking to overcome such as being 3 inches shorter than you and about 50 lbs heavier but I can get up similarly to wear you can.

I agree with Tim about doing heavy squats. The rep stuff isnt really going to help you get off the ground better. Olympic lifts can be a great developer when learned properly.

Benching is my emphasis now because it has been since I started working out. It's basically the only exercise I share with my three friends who go to the gym with me (since we all do it, and it requires a spotter). And frankly, it's something I've become good at, is easy and familiar for me, and most importantly I enjoy doing.

I just thought I should report all my workouts, not just my lower body ones...

I don't know, I'm about 6'2" or 3" and can easily reach the rim with one hand every time. I can jump high enough to grab on and hang on (not that I do, for fear of breaking thhe backboard), usually the highest I can get is almost all of my fingers above the rim.

If you saw my back workout today, I'm thinking of doing biceps work first, since they seemed really weak to me today (also, they were extremely pumped afterwards, along with my forearm, so I think that's a sign they need work).

Well, as can be seen in the journal I didn't have my best workout, though I did get a decent pump out of it...

I plan to take a day off, do a legs day, take a day off, and do a chest day. I think working out everyday has slowly taken its toll, even with a 3 or 4 day split. I think I am getting enough time to recover muscle-wise, but maybe not in ATP production. I need these days off to not feel as tired when I'm entering the gym (which isn't much).

and I don't think I'll use the seated leg press again if I can avoid it, it has too small a ROM to really be useful I think. I'll use 45 degree sled if I can, though my gym at home (two weeks!) only has seated.

I had a pretty good workout today, I am certainly pleased with new pb's in squat and deadlift... oh, and it's my birthday today. Unfortunately nothing major planned, I have to study for finals (I have five between Tuesday and Friday). Still getting used to saying I'm 20 years old.

I was a bit disappointed with today's workout, I think the stress of finals is negatively affecting my workouts. Thankfully I'll be done this week. I have decided to cut my bench program short, next time I'll attempt officially 255lbs for a new 1RM, then I'll try 260lbs. Hopefully I'll get that, then I'll be satisfied.

Also, I just think my upper body has had enough of lifting for strength, I'm going to move to a size phase for the summer.

Thankfully I am very happy with the improvements I'm making in squat and deadlift.

Well I am pleased with how well my dunking attempts are going, I am continuing to make progress. Considering the growth in my leg muscles, along with the increased strength I have now, it would be very disappointing for me to have regressed in jumping ability. I am getting heavier with time though, perhaps I would be seeing even better improvement if I was dieting... tough to balance that with continued muscle growth... FYI, I am as of this afternoon 190lbs myself, up from about 186 in the past couple of weeks. That may have been 'lunch weight' though.

So the past few days have been hell. I've not been to the gym for a while, because over the last four days I've had five finals (1,2,1,1), basically all of which were stressful to some extent. My lifting partner and roommate has already gone home, so I'll have to scrounge up a spotter when I go to the gym tonight. Oh yeah, and I've been sick, fever at night, terribly sore throat, and little to no appetite (which came back last night)... I'm afraid to weigh myself when I go to the gym after dinner.

Thankfully, I return home Monday, and will have a few days to recover/chill next week. I can't wait to watch one of my younger brother's track meets!